Collapsible foot support

Abstract

A novel foot support device includes a first sidewall adapted to engage the lateral side of a first foot, a second sidewall adapted to engage the lateral side of a second foot, and a backwall adapted to engage both the plantar region of the first foot and the plantar region of the second foot. In a particular embodiment, the first sidewall includes an inclined interior surface, the second sidewall includes an inclined interior surface, and the backwall includes an inclined interior surface. In another particular embodiment, the foot support device includes sidewalls and a backwall that can flatten and pivot relative to one another, facilitating a collapsible foot support device.

I claim: 
     
       1. A foot support device having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, said foot support device comprising:
 a first panel including a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, said first side edge of said first panel extending between said top edge of said first panel and said bottom edge of said first panel, said second side edge of said first panel extending between said top edge of said first panel and said bottom edge of said first panel; 
 a second panel including a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, said first side edge of said second panel extending between said top edge of said second panel and said bottom edge of said second panel, said second side edge of said second panel extending between said top edge of said second panel and said bottom edge of said second panel; 
 a third panel including a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, said first side edge of said third panel extending between said top edge of said third panel and said bottom edge of said third panel, said second side edge of said third panel extending between said top edge of said third panel and said bottom edge of said third panel; 
 a fourth panel including a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, said first side edge of said fourth panel extending between said top edge of said fourth panel and said bottom edge of said fourth panel, said second side edge of said fourth panel extending between said top edge of said fourth panel and said bottom edge of said fourth panel; 
 a fifth panel including a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, said first side edge of said fifth panel extending between said top edge of said fifth panel and said bottom edge of said fifth panel, said second side edge of said fifth panel extending between said top edge of said fifth panel and said bottom edge of said fifth panel; 
 a sixth panel including a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, said first side edge of said sixth panel extending between said top edge of said sixth panel and said bottom edge of said sixth panel, said second side edge of said sixth panel extending between said top edge of said sixth panel and said bottom edge of said sixth panel; 
 a first hinge joint coupled between said top edge of said first panel and said top edge of said second panel; 
 a second hinge joint coupled between said top edge of said third panel and said top edge of said fourth panel; 
 a third hinge joint coupled between said top edge of said fifth panel and said top edge of said sixth panel; 
 a fourth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said first panel and said first side edge of said third panel; and 
 a fifth hinge joint coupled between said second side edge of said first panel and said first side edge of said fifth panel. 
 
     
     
       2. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein the length of said top edge of said first panel is greater than the length of said bottom edge of said first panel. 
     
     
       3. The foot support device of  claim 2 , wherein the combined length of said top edge of said first panel, said top edge of said third panel, and said top edge of said fifth panel is greater than the combined length of said bottom edge of said first panel, said bottom edge of said third panel, and said bottom edge of said fifth panel. 
     
     
       4. The foot support device of  claim 2 , wherein said first panel is trapezoidal. 
     
     
       5. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first hinge joint, said second hinge joint, said third hinge joint, said fourth hinge joint, and said fifth hinge joint includes:
 a first rigid hinge portion; and 
 a second rigid hinge portion pivotally engaged with said first rigid hinge portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first hinge joint, said second hinge joint, said third hinge joint, said fourth hinge joint, and said fifth hinge joint includes a flexible sheet material. 
     
     
       7. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said bottom edge of said first panel and said bottom edge of said second panel move away from one another as said foot support device transitions from said collapsed configuration to said expanded configuration; 
 said bottom edge of said third panel and said bottom edge of said fourth panel move away from one another as said foot support device transitions from said collapsed configuration to said expanded configuration; and 
 said bottom edge of said fifth panel and said bottom edge of said sixth panel move away from one another as said foot support device transitions from said collapsed configuration to said expanded configuration. 
 
     
     
       8. The foot support device of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a sixth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said second panel and said first side edge of said fourth panel, and 
 a seventh hinge joint coupled between said second side edge of said second panel and said first side edge of said sixth panel. 
 
     
     
       9. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom edge of said first panel, said bottom edge of said second panel, said bottom edge of said third panel, said bottom edge of said fourth panel, said bottom edge of said fifth panel, and said bottom edge of said sixth panel are coplanar when said foot support device is in said expanded configuration. 
     
     
       10. The foot support device of  claim 9 , wherein the distance between said top edge of said third panel and said top edge of said fifth panel is greater than the distance between said bottom edge of said third panel and said bottom edge of said fifth panel when said foot support device in said expanded configuration. 
     
     
       11. The foot support device of  claim 10 , wherein the distance between said top edge of said first panel and said second side edge of said third panel is greater than the distance between said bottom edge of said first panel and said second side edge of said third panel. 
     
     
       12. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between said top edge of said first panel and said second side edge of said third panel is greater than the distance between said bottom edge of said first panel and said second side edge of said third panel. 
     
     
       13. The foot support device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a seventh panel having a first side edge and an opposite second side edge; 
 an eighth panel having a first side edge and an opposite second side edge; 
 a sixth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said seventh panel and said bottom edge of said first panel; 
 a seventh hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said eighth panel and said bottom edge of said second panel; and 
 an eighth hinge joint coupled between said second side edge of said seventh panel and said second side edge of said eighth panel. 
 
     
     
       14. The foot support device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a ninth panel having a first edge and an opposite second edge; 
 a tenth panel having a first edge and an opposite second edge; 
 a ninth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said ninth panel and said bottom edge of said third panel; 
 a tenth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said tenth panel and said bottom edge of said fourth panel; and 
 an eleventh hinge joint coupled between said second side edge of said ninth panel and said second side edge of said tenth panel. 
 
     
     
       15. The foot support device of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an eleventh panel having a first edge and an opposite second edge; 
 a twelfth panel having a first edge and an opposite second edge; 
 a twelfth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said eleventh panel and said bottom edge of said fifth panel; 
 a thirteenth hinge joint coupled between said first side edge of said twelfth panel and said bottom edge of said sixth panel; and 
 an eleventh hinge joint coupled between said second side edge of said eleventh panel and said second side edge of said twelfth panel. 
 
     
     
       16. The foot support device of  claim 1 , further comprising a first retainer selectively coupled between said third panel and said fourth panel, said first retainer configured to maintain a portion of said third panel a predetermined distance from a portion of said fourth panel when said foot support device is in said expanded configuration. 
     
     
       17. The foot support device of  claim 16 , further comprising a second retainer selectively coupled between said fifth panel and said sixth panel, said second retainer configured to maintain a portion of said fifth panel a predetermined distance from a portion of said sixth panel when said foot support device is in said expanded configuration. 
     
     
       18. The foot support device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said fourth hinge joint includes a first portion attached to said first side edge of said first panel and a complimentary second portion attached to said first side edge of said third panel; 
 said first portion of said fourth hinge joint and said second portion of said fourth hinge joint are configured to be selectively snapped together and detached from one another; 
 said fifth hinge joint includes a first portion attached to said second side edge of said first panel and a complimentary second portion attached to said first side edge of said fifth panel; and 
 said first portion of said fifth hinge joint and said second portion of said fifth hinge joint are configured to be selectively snapped together and detached from one another.